THE SUN-HERALD May 10, 2009 - Special Report- PROFILE Ajay Rau,University of NSW-By JOSHUA MAULE

Ajay Rau Lives a double Life. Three days a week he can be found sitting in the University of NSW’S Lecture theatres learning media theories; the rest of the time the Indian-born international student hoots around Middle Harbour on his Laser (a one-person sailing boat),refining his skipper skills in the hope of becoming the Sachin Tendulkar of sailing.” I get pretty depressed when I’m not on the water.” He says. Growing up in Chennai, the 21-year-old first sailed more than a decade ago and got serious when he was 17.In 2006 he became India’s junior national champion.” I was just enjoying sailing,”Rau says,” and then the next day there was a lot of attention.” Rau’s success brought sponsorship deals allowing him to sail professionally. It also thrust him into the spotlight and he had to deal with journalists from national newspapers and television stations. With his parents’ help, he managed his own publicity and wrote press releases. “We have never hired an agent.” Rau says.’ You just have to be good socially and have your contacts and that’s how it works,” Rau visited Australia in 2006 and “knew I had to come back and train here some time in the future”. His sailing ambitions coupled with his “fascination” for journalism led him to Sydney this year to study a bachelor of media and communications at UNSW. After he finished his course, Rau intends to work as a sports journalist. Sailing is a minor sport in India, sitting in the shadow of cricket, but he reckons his work as a journalist may be able to raise its profile. “There’s now a sports boom happening in India,” he says,” Primarily it was cricket but now you have Indians getting interested in athletics and Olympic sports. So that’s what I’d love to cover.” JOSHUA MAULE

Mike Leigh Sailing Canada to Glory!

Meet Mike Leigh, currently ranked 6th best Laser sailor in the world.He was among the favorites to win a medal in the 2008 Olympic Games. Mike started sailing at the age of 7 and has been seriouslytraining since 1999.It has been a long but rewarding journey for this Canadian sailor. Mike says candidly: “ The 2008 Olympic trials was my third attempt at trying to qualify for the Olympics”. He finished 9th at the Beijing Olympic Games. This is indeed a great performance foran Olympic debut. And until now the best result by a Canadian sailor at theOlympics in the Laser class.“I was pretty pleased where I stood before going into the Olympics. I had done a lot of work and was quite happy with the progress I madegoing into the event”, the calm champion remarked. He was pleased with his overall finish but asked if he would have changed anything during his races, he added “There are certain things I would have changed looking back at it. But, at the time, I wouldn’t have changed anything”Mike explained to me that the Olympic Games are just one part ofsailing and there are different regattas all year round. I asked himwhat an Olympic medal will mean to him, if he gets the opportunity towear one around his neck, He says it would feel “Good! Great! What is important is the process and improvement. It is a small part in termsof your career. It’s all about the process.” The 2009 World Championships are in Canada (Halifax) .I asked him about the pressures to perform in home waters:“There is always pressure. Funding is based on positions at the World Championships”. Mike Leigh’s message to his rivals on the 2012 Olympic Campaign is a friendly, “I wish them luck!”Having seen him on water, I have no doubt in my mind all sailors campaigning for the 2012 Olympics need all the luckthey can get!

Report March & April 2009

Report March & April 2009 After 3 years on the international sailing circuit, I took the decision to pack my bags and base myself in Australia (Sydney). I am studying at UNSW (University of New South Wales) doing a 3 year under grad course in journalism and media. I was welcomed by friend and top Australian sailor James Burman at theairport. When I reached UNSW, I had attended the welcome address ofthe Elite Athletes Program hosted by UNSW and the Sports Association. Helen is the UNSW Athlete Development Officer and has been very helpful ingetting me started at the university campus. I later meet Gabrielle King, triple youth world champion, friend and fellow student at UNSW. With the help of both James and Gabrielle I have joined Middle Harbour Amateur Sailing Club and my sailing is now in full gear! The moment I entered the club I have been in complete awe! It is a great honor to be among the top Australian and world class sailors. There were members of the Australian sailing team, Australian development sailing squad andsailors from NSW Institute of Sport present. To name a few great sportspersons present - Michel Blackburn (Olympic silver 2000),Erik Stibbe (Coach), Tom Slingsby (World Champion/Olympianand world no.1 2007 - 2008) and a number of top ranked Australian sailors In the last two months I have been training with Gabrielle and herteam. We have had some very good on-the-water sessions. (Long andproductive sessions.) Often Gabrielle has been kind to offer me a lift to training as it is a fair distance away from University. Erik is a fantastic person to workwith, every time I have been on the water, I have learnt a great deal from him. Sailing and training on Sydney waters has been fantastic.There are always a number of boats on the water. And a great variety ofconditions. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to train. I have also been doing a fair bit of outdoor training (Running,Cycling) and actively taking part in college sports like Rugby,Hockey, football etc .The university gym is good and is equipped withgreat facilities. I took part in my first Australian University Regatta representingUNSW. I was leading the overall single handed division 1 after thefirst day of racing but by the third and final day of racing dropped to 3rd overall. I won the Laser Radial category comfortably. The racing was close between the different single handed classes. I enjoyedsailing inside the Sydney Harbour where the races for the 2000 Olympics were held. I have also had the opportunity to meet many top sailors in this short span of two months. I picked up my first road bike with help from current Australian andAsia Pacific Champion Ash Brunning. I have had a couple of rides onthe bike and trained with Mike Liegh, (CAN world top 10 ranked sailor,08 Olympian and friend), Ash Brunning and couple of other sailors. Just a week back I was delighted to hear the news that I was awarded a spot to represent India at the 2008 European Championships in Denmark to be hosted in July this year! My preparations haven’t been smooth sailing all the way for both the World's and the European's. I have had a number of hurdles. To name a few I havehad to get used to the university way of life/studies (after a 3 year gap!), deal witha bout of flu and the usual sport injuries. I am enjoying this experience asthis is part and parcel of being a sports man - to deal withdifficulties and look forward to the challenges. I am enjoying my newexperience being both a sailor and a university student, this has opened out many avenues in my life The next few months I will be focusing on preparing myself for theEuropean and World Championships and my semester 1 exams. I also hopeI will be able to cope with the crazy Australian winter. http://www.ajayrau.blogspot.com/

Ajay Rau Wins Australian University Sailing Regatta - Laser Radial

Ajay Rau Wins Australian University Sailing Regatta (Sydney) Ajay Rau wins the Laser Radial event at the 2009 AustralianUniversity Regatta .He represented UNSW (University OfNew-South-Wales) and is on the UNSW Elite AthleteSupport program. The Royal Madras Yacht Club sailor is also sponsored by MittalChampions Trust, Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) and AMMFoundation. The 2009 National Sailing University Regatta was organized and hosted bySydney Uni Sailing Club & Woollahra Sailing Club. The races took placeat Sydney Harbour Results Ajay Rau (UNSW) = 1, 1, 2, 3, 2, 1, 1

RMYC’s Rohini Rau Sails India into History Books. BY AJAY RAU

PRESS RELEASE Sport- Sailing RMYC’s Rohini Rau Sails India into History Books. Wins Bronze in Izola Spring Cup (Slovenia) On Sunday 12th April, 2009, Rohini made history for Indian Olympic sailing at the 2009 Izola Spring cup –ISAF Grade 3 event. The Royal Madras Yacht Club sailor is the First Indian Woman to finish on the podium in an International Olympic Class Regatta. This is her first International medal in the single hander Radial Class. She is not new to making history. Team Pallavi Naik and Rohini Rau won India’s first women’s sailing Asian Gold medal in the 420 Class in Mumbai in January 2004. And in October 2008 Rohini was part of the first Indian Match Racing Team to win an Asian Gold at the Regional finals of the Nations Cup held in Mumbai. But this medal is even more special as this medal was achieved in a single hander Olympic Class of Boats in International waters. Despite having the worst possible start to a regatta (DSQ: scoring maximum points) Rohini managed to climb back strong and win the bronze medal. She did well to keep the home favorite at bay and only gave Marusa Krasevac (SLO) a sniff of the bronze medal. She fought hard against Fellow Gold and Silver medalisits, Elisabetta Macchini (ITA) and Katharina Roeggla (AUT). Rohini’s initial reaction after winning the medal. " It feels good........I mean I was only 2 points away from silver and then I messed up my last race .It was the first time I had got 2 yellow flag penalties in the first race itself (DSQ)......so in spite of all that...I guess bronze wasn't so bad.....” Her reaction shows she is not content with just making it to the podium. She has a burning desire to win. 4 times Olympian and Coach Allen Jullie (SEY) was all praise. This is what he had to say about Rohini: “She kept a cool head and focused right through the regatta. Her goal this month was to just get into shape as she had been racing different classes of boats. She surprised all of us by winning the bronze medal after a 1 year break from international competition in the radial class. She has potential to create waves in the international sailing scene. She is a medical student; yet she has been able to train hard and sail. I am happy to be working with the Indian athlete.” When asked how it feels to be the first Indian Woman to Win a medal in a Women's Olympic Class (Sailing) "It's a step in the right direction for Indian women in sailing...after all the support and effort that my parents, brother (Ajay Rau) ,coach Alen Jullie (Seychelles) and fitness trainer Ramji Srinivas have put in...I guess this is only the beginning....” The 2007 YAI woman sailor of the year said with pride. She also thanked the SDAT( Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu), SAI (Sports Authority of India) and AMM Foundation for their long time support. To win a medal in Europe is remarkable as it hosts some of the toughest circuits on the tour. For an Indian woman to win medals in sailing was “just a Dream” not so long ago. This experience should help her shape up well for the forth coming National Championships against the men where she finished 3rd overall last year. This is also good preparation for major events like the European and World Championships for which Rohini will be representing India. This historic feat will do well to inspire women sailing in India at an International and Olympic level. Hopefully the repeated achievements by this young sailing star will finally get the attention she deserves from the Indian selectors and officials to support her and women sailing. She was presented with a plaque from Slovenian Sailing legend Vasilij Zbogar Olympic Silver (08) & Bronze (04) medalist after achieving this milestone. (Report written by Ajay Rau – fellow international sailor, brother and student of Communications & Journalism at UNSW, Sydney)

ILCA: Entry to the European Laser Radial Men's Championship 2009 accepted for Ajay Rau

The European Laser Radial Men's Championship 2009 will be held from Thu 9th July 2009 - Thu 16th July 2009 in DENMARK, Charlottenlund.

2009 Australian University Regatta.

The 2009 Australian University Regatta (National University event) will take place from the 15th to the 17th of April at Woollahra Sailing Club on Sydney Harbour.I will be representing U.N.S.W (University of N.S.W),Sydney. The event is being hosted by the Sydney Uni Sailing Club.

Ajay Rau to join MHASC (Middle Harbour Amateur Sailing Club),Sydney

I had recently shifted base from Chennai (India) to Sydney (Australia). I will be training and studying here for 3 years.While in India I am still with the Royal Madras Yacht Club,I am puting in an application for one year to join the MHASC The Middle Harbour Amateur Sailing Club has raced centreboard dinghies from its premises at The Spit for over 50 years. The Club started racing Laser class dinghies in 1976 and has produced many fine sailors, including Michael Blackburn, 2006 World Laser Champion. Olympic representative, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 (Bronze Medal) and Athens 2004. Glenn Bourke, triple World Champion 1988 to 1990 Ben Austin, 2001 World Youth Champion. I will be training with a few memebers of the ASDS and NSWIS (Australian Sailing Development Squad and New South Wales Institute of Sport).

City sailor hopes to make it big - Indian Express

Sandip G First Published : 06 Mar 2009 03:14:00 AM IST Last Updated : CHENNAI: Let the tide be high or low, let the winds be treacherous or the waters frothy, it matters little to sailor Ajay Rau, who has been slowly but surely making ripples at the international circuit. He may not be yet a complete package— reckons himself amoebic in the cycle of a sailor’s evolution—but it won’t be long before he makes a mark. Currently he trains at the New South Wales Institute of Sports. “It was a wise decision to shift my base to a country where sailing is more popular and the infrastructure is good. The competition level here is altogether at a higher level as you train world-class sailors. Back home, I was winning almost everything and the competition was mediocre. Also, there were just a couple of events a year,” explained the Laser (Radial) sailor. Though he initially struggled to acclimatise to the conditions, he has commendably adapted to the weather in a year. “The first few months were tough, but I worked hard and represented my university in the domestic circuit as well competitions in New Zealand. I finished 14th in a world cup event in Melbourne,” beamed Ajay, who claimed bronze in last year’s Asia Pacific Championship and has eked out a wild card entry for the world championship this year. His lifetime ambition is an Olympic medal, which he reckons would be in his kitty in the 2016 Olympics. “Currently my aim is to qualify for the 2012 Olympics and also want to do well in the European senior grid,” he outlined his plans.

Ajay Rau gets wild card - Hindu

HINDU Sports : General Feb 25, 2009 Chennai: Sailor Ajay Rau who finished third in the Asia Pacific championships in Perth, was awarded a wild card for the Laser Radial Worlds to take place in Japan. “The third-place finish at Perth was one of my best results. It was a crucial event because Perth is the venue for the 2011 World Championships, which will be the Olympic qualifying event. My performance there helped me get the wild card for the Worlds in Japan,” said Ajay. Ajay will shift his training base to Sydney after he was awarded the Elite Athlete’s sports scholarship at the University of New South Wales. The scholarship is worth Australian $ 5000 a year. “I will be training at the NSW Institute of Sports, which is an endorsed Australian Olympic Training Centre, during my three-year University stay in Sydney,” said Ajay

Chennai sailor and his Olympic goals-Special Report NEWS TODAY

C SHYAM SUNDAR Fri, 20 Feb, 2009,03:28 PM .Sailing is not a popular sport in India, by any means. However, young Chennai sailor Ajay Rau, feels an Abhinav Bindra-like (in the Beijing Olympics) performance can fast-track the discipline into limelight and is keen to come up with one himself. .And, Ajay is leaving no stone unturned as he eyes Olympic glory (in 2012). He will be heading to Australia where he aims to finetune his skills and also pursue higher studies. 'I will be studying at the University of New South Wales and also training at the Academy of Excellence,' he told News Today. In this regard, he said training with top-flight sailors will stand him in good stead. 'I hope to do some events in Australia and New Zealand in the run-up to the Olympic trials that are scheduled for 2011 in Perth.' 'My biggest goal is to win a gold medal in the Olympics as it will give a fillip to the sport back home.' His immediate priority is to do well in the World championship in Japan to come off in August. 'I have a few months to train and prepare for the world meet,' he said with a sense of optimism. Among the other events Ajay will be keen to do well are the European Championship (in Denmark) and one in Germany. Even before he goes for glory in the London Olympics (2012), the bubbling Chennaiite wants to sail to a gold in the Asian Games in 2010 to be held in China. 'I'm among the top five in Asia and confident that if I keep improving a gold is there for the taking in the Asiad.' To a question on why chose sailing when cricket is religion in the country, the local lad said, 'I was interested in the sport since I was very young.' Though Ajay lamented the below-par training facilities in India, he felt can climb to the top aided by his coaching stints abroad. Ajay, the only Indian to have qualified for the forthcoming World championship, said one such session in France courtesy Sports Development Authority of Tamilnadu some time back was of immense help. Though sailing is low-key as of now, Ajay feels it is gathering momentum, albeit slowly. 'A spectacular performance by an Indian in the international sailing arena will turn the spotlight on the sport,' he said. 'Before Abhinav Bindra shot a gold at Beijing, shooting was on the periphery,' he noted. Ajay, whose aim is to be a top-quality sailor and win laurels for India at the world level, is confident of steering ahead and being the best.